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Noesi's pitching troubles continue vs. A's

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By Greg Johns
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MLB.com |

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Though rain ultimately wiped out a rough start to Friday's game with the A's, Mariners pitcher Hector Noesi will have a hard time erasing another bad outing in what has been a difficult spring.

Noesi, 26, gave up three home runs -- and seven runs overall -- in two innings in a game ultimately canceled with the Mariners trailing 12-1 in the fourth inning. Noesi allowed five hits, two walks, a hit batter and wild pitch along with six earned runs with a performance that would have pushed his Cactus League ERA to 19.06 if it had remained official.

Instead, he's still at 14.73 in three games, none of which have made anyone forget last year's 2-12 record and 5.82 ERA in 22 outings with Seattle.

"Again, it was a lot of the same," said manager Eric Wedge. "He has to get over that hump. You get a couple quick outs in that first inning, some things start to happen and then it just dominoed on him. Same thing in the second inning.

"He gets a couple outs, a walk and then a home run. So it's about finishing pitches, going out there and finishing hitters off and controlling damage. That's just something he's going to have to continue to work at. That's been his Achilles' heel so far."

Noesi said he needs to do a better job of locating his pitches down and in, but vows to get better.

"It was my first year as a starter last year," he said. "Now I have more experience. I just have to work on my low pitches. That's the only problem. I'm going to be consistent soon. I'm working for this."

Wedge believes Noesi has the ability to compete at the Major League level, but needs to put things together.

"I don't think it's so much focus as mindset," Wedge said. "It's just being to the point that, 'Hey, listen, we're going to make pitches and execute pitches to get this guy out and control this damage right here.' That's been his issue.

"He's been around a little bit, he gained some valuable experience last year at the big league level. I think the big leagues showed him what he needs to continue to work on and it continues to show him. His stuff is real, but it is about executing pitches and having conviction with your pitches. And that's what we haven't seen."